Either you are a new mum with your new-born needing all your attention and care or not, it’s now more important than ever to protect yourself from colds and keep your immune system strong. This meat-free broth benefits from the immune-boosting power of mushrooms —long revered in Chinese medicine as a powerful medicinal food. Rich in B vitamins and minerals, they seduce the senses with a rich flavour.
Ingredients (makes 2 Liters or 6-8 servings)
1 white or yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 leeks, green parts discarded, white part roughly chopped into coin shapes
2 tablespoons olive oil or a cooking oil like avocado or coconut oil or grass-fed butter
Sea salt
2 cups (85 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, or 1 cup (35 g) dried
1/2 cup (20 g) dried reishi mushrooms (optional)
1 cup (60 g) cremini or white button mushrooms
2 strips kombu (helps with digestion and flavour)
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 medium tomatoes, halved, with seeds is fine
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1-inch (2.5-cm) knob of fresh turmeric unpeeled, halved
2 cups (140 g) roughly chopped green cabbage
1 loosely packed cup (50 g) roughly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon zest
Method
In a medium pot over medium heat, brown the onions and leeks in the oil with a pinch of SC: salt to help the browning.
Quickly rinse the shiitake, reishi (if using) and cremini mushrooms and kombu under running water. Add all the mushrooms, kombu, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and turmeric to the pot, along with 3 quarts (2.8 L) water, or enough water to cover the veggies by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Cook for 1 hour over medium low heat, covered. During the last 20 minutes, add the cabbage, parsley, and lemon zest. Season the broth to taste with salt.
Remove from heat and strain. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars for up to 3 months.
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